MP Shobha wants udupi a ’smart city’ - expert committee to be set up

MP Shobha wants udupi a ’smart city’ - expert committee to be set up

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Jun 17, 2014: Speaking at the inauguration of her office in Manipal on June 16, Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje has said that an expert committee will be constituted to collect opinions for the integrated development of Udupi-Chikmagalur and Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituencies. She went to say,  that a committee will concentrate on education, fisheries and agriculture sector.

She said that she will make efforts to include Udupi district in the 100 smart city project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I will visit the sea -erosion affected areas, work on NH 66 will also be inspected. I will tour Chikmagalur district from June 21. Veteran Journalist M V Kamath inaugurates the office of Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje, at DC’s office premises in Manipal.

There is a need to constitute a committee to review the recommendations of Prof Madhav Gadgil and Kasturirangan report on conservation of Western Ghats. Before the implementation of the recommendations, there is a need to study the pros and cons of the recommendations. “I have written a letter to Union Minister for Environment and Forest Prakash Javadekar in this regard. In fact, Shimoga MP B S Yeddyurappa, Uttara Kannada MP Ananth Kumar Hegde, DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Mysore-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha have signed the petition letter submitted to the Minister.” She said “two reports on Western Ghats have highlighted on conservation of environment and biodiversity.

However, the reports have not shown concern for the local people. If Kasturirangan report is implemented, then hundreds of villagers in six districts will have to be evicted in Karnataka. There is a need for scientific study of the recommendations,” she added. Before implementing any project, the opinions of local residents should be collected. However, when the reports were prepared, no one seems to have been taken into confidence. In fact, meetings were not conducted at village level, Karandlaje said.

She said that the issue on ban on arecanut will appear for hearing in the Supreme Court in the month of September. The Central government will impress upon the Supreme Court not to ban arecanut. The facts will be placed before the court, she said.

Act against UPCL : MP Shobha said “the UPCL has been using blackmail tactics against the State government. The government has been paying for the electricity purchased. However, the UPCL has been delaying the work without any reason. The State government should initiate action against the UPCL.”  In this context she added, Karnataka was neglected when regarding railway projects in the past. There is a need for the creation of a separate railway division for Mangalore. Doubling of railway line on Konkan route should be taken up on priority basis. A ’Garib Rath’ type train from Mangalore to Maharashtra should be started. The survey on Padubidri-Karkala-Chikmagalur railway line should be taken up,” she said.

Karandalje said that she has already urged the Railway minister to accelerate the work on Chikmagalur-Belur and Sakleshpura railway line. An intercity train between Chikmagalur-Bangalore should be started to help the coffee belt MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, former MLA Vasanth Salian among others were present.